True Immortality
True Immortals are Supernaturals who are created by the collective faith of an entire Tribe. They are similar to Adepts in that they are powered by Kenosis, and are created through a powerful mystical encounter with God, but unlike Adepts they are permanently tied to their Tribe's Patriarch for their existence. Some tribes of True Immortals run counter to this basic definition of their nature. The Nazoreans, for instance, are True Immortals because they attain a special nature and set of powers through a supernatural connection with the founder of their Tribe. However, they are also Adepts of the Order of Creators. Facts: -Unless stated otherwise, a True Immortal can be killed by taking damage, the same as any mortal man. However, most Immortals possess powers that heal them, or they can only be killed in a certain way. -You'll notice that all of the True Immortals hail from somewhere within the Judeo-Christian tradition. Coincidence? -True Immortals take the majority of their recruitment from a single Adept Order. There are some exceptions to this rule, but it holds true the majority of the time. Patriarchs: A Patriarch is a holy person who attained a close and powerful bond with God, so powerful that it transformed them into immortal beings, immortals who can keep their immortality by continuing to follow their religious habits. Through following the teachings of such a person, other people may share in their unique nature through a metaphysical link to the founder of the Tribe. In addition to being immortal, True Immortals will also quickly develop a set of basic specific powers based on the characteristics of their tribal Patriarch. Tribes: Each Tribe is dependent on a founder for their existence, although the Patriarch need not still be on Earth (indeed, most are in Heaven). Each Tribe corresponds with a Religion (called a Tribe) which is the pool from which their members come. Revenalogy: The study of the Immortals is known as Revenalogy, and those who study it are Revenalogists. It also includes the study of non-Immortal Revenants (a Revenant is anyone who has died and returned from the dead). These include non-Theistic Zombies, mortals who have experienced an NDE (near death experience), a Dhampir, and more. Revenalogy is a favorite passtime of many high ranking members of the Tribes. In the modern age some have even taken Revenalogy and organized conferences where leading and popularly recognized experts in the field give lectures and hopeful newcomers can mingle with experienced elders. Others have performed 'investigations' into tombs or castles reported to be the final resting places of historically important Immortals (it should be noted that such an undertaking is fraught with danger and so heightened security is often a priority for such expeditions). The Tribes of Immortals: The Arians The Essenes The Hanif The Heru The Nazoreans The Pharisee The Saracens The Sadducee The Zealots The Minor Tribes Retainers: Retainers are simple to understand: they are mortals who have been formally indoctrinated into the world of the Immortals, and thus the supernatural. Retainers can be anyone, they can be in any life situation, and they exist in all parts of the world. Some Retainers are the mortal descendants of an Immortal - this is the case with many of the Great Families - and some are the lawyers, doctors, and business associates of the Everliving. For whatever reason, they have been allowed to peer past the veil and see the world as it really exists. The act of making a mortal into a Retainer is regulated by each Tribe individually. Usually, a Nazorean will seek permission from their Regent before doing so. As always, there are exceptions to this rule. Some Immortals, the Vampyre especially, are fond of "branding" their Retainers with tattoos or other body-marks, the better to keep track of them. The Theist Tribes look down on this and follow more humane traditions: they usually keep archives of their Retainers, and if any mortal is caught breaking the Concord, their identifying information is run through the archives for any matches. Those mortals who are found to be Retainers are then punished with imprisonment in special bastilles located in remote areas across the world. By definition, all Retainers are part of the Initiated. References: -http://www.religionfacts.com/ -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtY_wkooCLM